Cultivator.



PATENTED JULY 18,1905.

W. SOBEY.

GULTIVATOR.

, APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5,1903.

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WILLIAM Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SOBEY, OF RAOINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO J. I. CASE PLOW WORKS, OF RAOINE, WISOONSIN, A CORPORATION.

CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,? 51, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed December 5, 1903. Serial No. 133,894.

T 0 all whom it ntcty (to/warn:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SoBnY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Racine, county of Racine, and State of VVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivators, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to wheel-cultivators which carry independent shovel-beams on the opposite side of the plant-row, in which the axle comprises an elevated horizontal section swiveled to the cultivator-frame and provided with depending wheel-sections, so that the axle is arch shape to straddle the row.

The present invention seeks to provide simple and eflective shifter mechanism for adjusting the depending portions of the arched axle relatively to the frame to properly balance the machine for operators of different weight in connection with independentlyshiftable regulating devices for the gangbeams; and it consists in the features of construction, arrangements, and combinations of parts set forth in the following description,

, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cultivator with the present improvements applied. In this figure for the sake of clearness the near wheel is broken away and the fore-reach, to which the plow-beams are connected, is shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view, part in elevation and part in section, of the arched axle and its connection with the frame. Fig. 4 is a detail view, part in elevation and part in section, of the adjusting shift mechanisms for the wheel-sections of the axle zontal portion12, which fits within the horizontal tubular crown-section 13. Brackets 14 are secured to the opposite ends of the horizontal axle-section 13, and each of the horizontal portions 12 of the axle-sections extends adjustabl y through acollar 15, which sits within a slot or recess 16 in the under face of the adjacent bracket 14 and is held thereby against longitudinal shift. Set-screws 17, threaded through the collars, hold the wheelsections 11 in adjusted position. The brackets 1 1 and collars 15 are secured, respectively, to the crown-section 13, and the horizontal portions 12 of the axle-sections serve to securely connect the separate portions of the arched axle. At the same time, since collars 15 may freely rotate in the recesses 16, the depending wheel-sections 11 may swing freely within the horizontal tubular section 13. The tread of the cultivator-wheels can be carried at will in keeping with the width of the plant-row by adjusting the wheel-sections 11 through the collars 15 and tubular section 13 and clamping the same in such adjusted position by the set-screws 17. The brackets 14 also preferably serve as connections between the arched axle and the frame of the cultivator and for this purpose are provided with upstanding flanges 18, grooved to receive the rear ends of the side bars 19 of the frame. Bolts 20 securely connect the rear ends of the side bars and the brackets 14;

The forward converging ends of the side bars 19 are connected to tongue 21. Braces 22, connected to the side bars and rearwardly extending therefrom support the seat-bars 23, which carry the drivers seat 24:. The forward ends of the seat-bars extend under and bear against the central crown-section 13 of the arched axle.

Split collars 25 are secured by bolts 26 to the lower ends of the depending wheel-sections 11 of the arched axle, and to the bolts 26 are pivoted the rear ends or brace-links 27. The forward ends of the latter are pivotally connected to the lower ends of shifter rock-arms 28, which are fixed upon the ends of and depend downwardly from the shifter rook-shaft 29. This shaft extends transversely across the machine at its front portion and is journaled at opposite ends in bearing-boxes 30,

securely bolted to the side bars 19 of the frame. Means for actuating the shifter rockshaft preferably comprises a hand-lever 31, bolted at its forward end to an extension 32 on the hub of one of the rock-arms 28 and extending rearwardly within reach of the rider.

Means for locking the shifter mechanism in any of its positions preferably comprises a segmental rack 33. mounted on the end of the shaft 29 adjacent the shift-lever 31' and held in fixed position by a brace-link 34, extendng between the segmental rack and the adacent side bar 19. A cooperating spring-held latch 35 is mounted to slide in a bracket 36, fixed on the side of the shift-lever 31, and is arranged to engage the teeth-of the segmental rack 33. A trip 37 for releasing the latch is pivoted near the end of the shift-lever 31 and is connected to the latch by a link 38. By means of the shifter and operating connections the position of the wheel-sections of the arched axle may be quickly and easily adjusted relatively to the frame and locked in adusted position, so that the leverage of the drivers weight on the pole and other parts n front of the axle is correspondingly adusted, and in this way the parts may be positloned to properly balance the machine with riders of different Weight. Moreover, the adustment may be easily and readily effected from the riders seat.

To the rear. end of the pole 21 and to the forward ends of the side bars 19 is fixed the fore-reach 39, having separate depending portions 40, carrying horizontally projecting sp ndles 41. Sleeves 42 are swiveled upon the spindles 41. and to these sleeves are adjustably connected the brackets or yokes 43. To each of the brackets 43 is connected a coopcrating yoke or bracket 44 by means of a vertical pivot-bolt 45, and to the brackets 44 are secured the forward ends of the shovel-beams 46. The latter are provided, as indicated, with suitable cultivator-shovels 47.

The regulator for each shovel-beam preferably comprises a heavy spring 48, connected at one end by a link 49 to the rear portion of the shovel-beam 46. A flexible chain 50 is connected to the opposite end of the springregulator, extends upwardly and forwardly, passes over the guide-roller 51 at the fore part of the frame, and thence extends rearwardly and is connected to a shift-lever 52, pivoted at the rear part of the frame. The guide-rollers 51 for the flexible regulators are loosely journaled, as shown, upon the ends of the rock-shaft 29 between the journal-boxes 30 and the rock-arms 28. Collars 53, adjustably secured to the shaft by bolts 54, are provided with laterally-extending hooked portions 55, which embrace the rollers 51 and hold them in adjusted posit-ion longitudinally of the shaft. By changing the position of the collars 53 and hooks 55 upon the shaft the guide-rollers 51 may be adjusted in keeping with the position of the shovel-beams; but by means of these parts the guide-rollers are held against longitudinal shift when once adjusted as desired. The shift-levers 52, to which the rear ends of the regulator-chains 50 are connected, are pivotally mounted upon the upstanding flanges 18 of the brackets 14 and are provided with spring-held locking-latches 56, arranged to engage the teeth of segmental racks 57, fixed to or formed in piece with the brackets 14. Links 58 are mounted upon the shift-levers 52 and connected to the springlatches 56 for releasing the latter when it is desired to adjust the beam-regulators. By this latch mechanism the shiftlevers and beam-regulators may be locked in any desired adjusted position.

By the arrangement described the shift mechanisms for the depending wheel-sections of the axle and for the beam-regulators are conveniently and compactly mounted upon the frame of the machine and so thateach may be independently adjusted for properly balancing the weight of the rider and for holding the shovel-beams in desired position.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details of structure without departure from the essentials of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In cultivators, the combination with the main frame and with the separate shovel-beams hung therefrom, of an arched, supportingaxle swiveled to the frame and having separate, depending wheel-sections, shifting handlevers pivotally mounted on the rear end of the frame, guide-rollers journaled on the fore part of the frame, flexible regulators connected to said hand-levers and to said shovelbeams and extending over said guide-rollers. a separate shift mechanism independent of the shovel-beams and their regulating devices connected to both of the separate depending portions of said arched axle to simultaneously adjust the same relatively to the machineframe, an operating hand-lever therefor and means for locking each of said hand-levers in adjusted position.

2. In cultivators, the combination with the main frame, of an arched, supporting-axle swiveled thereto and the shovel-beams hung from said frame, of a pair of shift-levers pivoted to the rear part of said frame, guide-rollers journaled on the fore part of said frame, flexible, spring-regulators connected to said shift-levers and said shovel-beams and extending over said guide-rollers, a cross rock-shaft journaled at the fore part of said frame and connected to the separate depending portions of said arched axle, a shift-lever for said rockshaft, each of said shift-levers being under control from the drivers seat and provided with means for locking the same in adjusted position.

ITO

3. In cultivators, the combination with the frame and the shovel-beams hung therefrom, of an arched, supporting-axle swiveled to the frame and provided with depending wheelsections, a rock-shaft journaled at the fore part of the frame, rock-arms fixed to said shaft, links connecting said rock-arms to the depending portions of said arched axle, a shiftlever for said rock-shaft under control from the drivers seat and provided with means for locking the same in adjusted position, a pair of independently-movable shift-levers mounted on the rear part and under control from the drivers seat, guides mounted at the fore part of the frame and flexible regulators connected to said shift-levers and shovel-beams and passing over said guides.

4. In cultivators, the combination with the main frame and shovel-beams hung therefrom, of an arched, supporting-axle swiveled to the frame and having depending wheel-sections, a rock-shaft journaled on the frame and connected to said wheel-sections, a guide-roller loosely journaled on said rock-shaft, a regulator for the shovel-beams passing over said roller and separate shift-levers connected to said rock-shaft and to said beam-regulators.

5. In riding-cultivators, the combination with the main frame and withshovel-beams hung therefrom, of an arched, supporting-axle swiveled to the frame and having depending wheel-sections, arock-shaft journaled on the fore part of the frame, rock-arms fixed to said shaft and connected to said wheel-sections, guide-rollers loosely journaled on said rockshaft, flexible regulating connections for said shovel-beams passing over said guide-rollers, separate independently-shiftable hand-levers for said rock-shaft and for said regulating connections under control from the drivers seat and means for locking said levers in adjusted position.

6. In cultivators, the combination with the main frame and shovel-beams hung therefrom, of an arched, supporting-axle swiveled to the frame and having depending wheel-sections, a rock-shaft journaled to the fore part of the frame, rock-arms fixed to said shaft and connected to said depending wheel-sections, guiderollers loosely journaled to said rock-shaft, flexible regulators extending over said guiderollers and connected to said shovel-beams, shift-levers pivoted on the rear of the frame and connected to said flexible spring-regulators, a separate shift-lever connected to said rock-shaft and means for locking said shiftlevers in adjusted position.

7. In Cultivators, the combination with the main frame and shovel-beams hung therefrom, of an arched, supporting-axle swiveled to the frame and having depending wheel-sections, a cross rock-shaft journaled to the fore part of the frame, rock-arms fixed to said shaft and connected to said depending wheel-sections,

guide-rollers loosely journaled on said rockshaft, means for holding said guide-rollers against iongitudinal shift, flexible regulators connected to said shovel-beams and extending over said guide-beams and independently-operating shift-levers for said flexible regulators and for said rock-shaft.

8. In cultivators, the combination with the main frame, of an arched, supporting-axle comprising separate wheel-sections and a central, hollow, crown-section Within which the ends of said wheel sections are adjustably mounted, brackets mounted upon and overlapping the ends of said horizontal section and secured to the side bars of the frame, rotatable collars through which the upper, horizontal portions of the wheel-sections extend and to which said horizontal portions are adjustably secured, said collars engaging slots in the overlapping portions of said brackets and held thereby against longitudinal shift, adjustable connections between the lower ends of said wheel-sections and the main frame, shifting hand-levers pivoted on said brackets, regulating connections between said hand-levers and the shovel-beams and means for locking said hand-levers in adjusted position.

9. In cultivators, the combination with the main frame and the shovel-beams hung therefrom, of an arched, supporting-axle swiveled to the frame and having depending wheel-sections, a cross rock-shaft journaled at the front of the frame and connected to said depending wheel-sections, an adjusting shiftlever for said cross rock-shaft, guide-rollers loosely journaled on the ends of said rock-shaft, means for holding said rollers in adjusted position, longitudinally of said shaft, flexible regulators connected to the shovel-beams and extending over said guide-rollers and adjusting shift-levers pivoted on the frame and connected to said flexible regulators.

10. In cultivators, the combination with the main frame, of an arch ed supporting-axle comprising separate wheel-sections and a central tubular crown-section within which the ends of said wheel-sections are adjustably mounted, brackets mounted upon the ends of said tubular section and secured to the side bars of the frame, rotatable collars adjustably secured to the upper, horizontal portions of said wheelsections and engaging slots in said brackets, adjustable connections between the lower ends of said wheel-sections and the main frame, shifting hand-levers pivoted on said brackets, notched segments on said brackets, dogs on said levers engaging said brackets to hold the levers in adjusted position and regulating connections extending between said levers and the shovel-beams.

WVILLIAM SOBEY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE I'IENRY BOLTON, CHARLES ARMSTRONG. 

